Compline (Night Prayer)
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.
Jesu, the world’s redeeming Lord,
The Father’s co-eternal Word,
Of light invisible true Light,
Thine Israel’s Keeper day and night.
Our great Creator and our Guide,
Who times and seasons dost divide,
Refresh at night with quiet rest,
Our limbs by daily toil oppressed.
We pray thee, while we dwell below,
Preserve us from our ghostly foe;
Nor let his wiles victorious be
O’er them that are redeemed by thee.
That while in this frail house of clay
A little longer here we stay,
Our flesh in thee may sweetly sleep,
Our souls with thee their vigils keep.
All praise be thine, O risen Lord,
From death to endless life restored;
All praise to God the Father be,
And Holy Ghost eternally.
Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High |
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
He who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells under the shade of the Almighty.
He will say to the Lord:
“You are my shelter and my strength,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will free you from the hunter’s snare,
from the voice of the slanderer.
He will shade you with his wings,
you will hide underneath his wings.
His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
nor the plague that walks in the shadows,
nor the death that lays waste at noon.
A thousand will fall at your side,
at your right hand ten thousand will fall,
but you it will never come near.
You will look with your eyes
and see the reward of sinners.
For the Lord is your shelter and refuge;
you have made the Most High your dwelling-place.
Evil will not reach you,
harm cannot approach your tent;
for he has set his angels to guard you
and keep you safe in all your ways.
They will carry you in their arms
in case you hurt your foot on a stone.
You walk on the viper and cobra,
you will tread on the lion and the serpent.
Because he clung to me, I shall free him:
I shall lift him up because he knows my name.
He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him:
I am with him in his time of trouble.
I shall rescue him and lead him to glory.
I shall fill him with length of days
and show him my salvation.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
| Reading |
Apocalypse 22:4-5 © |
They will see the Lord face to face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign for ever and ever.
This is the day the Lord made: let us rejoice in it and be glad, alleluia.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.
You have fulfilled your promise.
My own eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.
A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;
the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.
Let us pray.
Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
AMEN
Queen of Heaven, be joyful,
Alleluia.
You who were worthy to bear him.
Alleluia.
He has risen, as he promised.
Alleluia.
Pray for us to God.
Alleluia.
Regina caeli laetare, Alleluia,
Quia quem meruisti portare, Alleluia,
Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia.